NLRP3 inflammasome activation in aged macrophages is diminished during Streptococcus pneumoniae infection.

ABSTRACT: Pneumococcal infections are the eigth leading cause of death in the United States, and it is estimated that older patients (≥65 yr of age) account for the most serious cases. The goal of our current study is to understand the impact of biological aging on innate immune responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae, a causative agent of bacterial pneumonia. With the use of in vitro and in vivo aged murine models, our findings demonstrate that age-enhanced unfolded protein responses (UPRs) contribute to diminished inflammasome assembly and activation during S. pneumoniae infection. Pretreatment of aged mice with endoplasmic reticulum chaperone and the stress-reducing agent tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) decreased mortality in aged hosts that was associated with increased NLRP3 inflammasome activa

SUBMITTER: Cho SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5900358 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature